Lamp socket



Ma 29, 1928. 1,671,226 L. CARUSO LAMP SOCKET Filed Oct. 1925 INVENTOR Lou/'5 04/1/50 ATTORNEY a the invention Patented May 29, 1928.

UNITED STATES 1,671,226 PATENT OFFICE.

LOUIS oanoso, or IRVINGTON, NEW JERSEY, assronoa TO THE LIONEL CORPORA- TION, or NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

LAMP SOCKET.

Application filed October The present invention relates to a lamp socket and is more particularly directedtoward a combined lamp socketand supporting bracket suitable for holding miniature lamps.

In certain locations such, for example, as in toy railroad cars and locomotives, it is desirable to mount miniature'lamps so that they may be concealed and yet be accessible for replacement. The present invention more,particularly relates to a structure designed for use in such toy railroad cars, and contemplates a combined socket, and holdingbracket made out of a single piece or stamping of sheet metal folded into proper shape. This stamping may be made up out of resilient material, the yielding nature of the stamping bemg relied upon to hold the lamp in the socket, or a clamping screw may be provided, if desired.

The accompanying drawings show two of the many possible embodiments in which the present invention may take form, it be ing understood that the drawings are illustrative of the invention, rather than limiting the same.

In these drawings:

Figure 1 is an elevational view, with parts in section, showing one form of combined socket and holding bracket;

Figure 2 illustrates a form of stamping suitable for use in making up the structure shown in Figure 1;

F igure 3 is a sectional. view along the line 3 3 of Figure 2, and indicating in dotted lines the positions assumed by the parts when folded; and

Figure l. is a perspective'view showing a modified form.

The blank from which the socket and bracket are to be made. as shown in Figure 2. is in the form of a T-shaped stamping. It is shown inverted in the drawing merely for convenience, as the sockets are generally mounted that way.

The head of the T is broad or wide, and at each side of the center line it is provided with a number of obliquely disposed indentations 11. The material, marked 12 and 13 in the drawings, carrying these indentations is adapted, when rolled into a cylinder, to engage with a miniature lamp base. As shown in the drawing, the upper edges of these areas 12 and 13 are cut away in the drawings.

Serial No. 59,996.

to. provide members 14 and 15', which may be turned in to provide flanges 16 and 17 The stem 18 of the T is adapted to extend upwardly beyond the flanges as indicated The upper end 19 of this member is bent over as shown at 20 to provide an attaching plate, so that the structure may be readily mountedby passing a screw or other member through an aperture 21 therein.

An insulated central contact may be readily provided. .As shown in the drawings, it takes the form of a threaded member 22 which passes through a pair of insulating disks 22-3 and2 l, placed on opposite sides of the flanges 16 and 17. A nut 25 clamps the central contact and disks in place, and another nut 26 may be used to bind a lead wire 27 in place.

It will thus be seen that a completed lamp socket is readily made out of a single stamping, which provides the socket threads. The socket also has an insulated central contact and a mounting or attaching plate. The inherent resiliency of the material may be relied upon to securely hold the lamp base in the socket. This clamping action, may be insured by rolling the material to a smaller diameter than the ing of the socket when the lamp is inserted.

It will also be obvious that the free ends of the cylindrical rolled portions of the socket may be separated, as indicated in the drawings, or that they may overlap. In either case, the socket will be split longitudinally. As an additional clamping precaution, it may be advisable to continue the material forming the lamp socket outwardly in the form of lugs such as 28 and" 29, as shown in Figure 4. These lugs may be held together by a screw 30 if desired.

While the structure shown in the present drawing, has a comparatively short depending member 18 between the holding plate and the socket, it is, of course, understood that the length of this member is merely a matter of expediency, depending upon the use to which the structure is to be put. It will also be understood that the showing of the parts at right angles to one another is merely illustrative.

It is obvious that the invention may be embodied in many forms and constructions and I wish it to be understood that the particular forms shown and describedare but two of the many forms. va-rlous modifications and changes being possible, I do not in any way limit myself with respect I claim:

l. A lamp socket shell in the 1 01111: of asheet metal stamping folded to have a longit-udinally split substantially cylindrical portion, the walls of which have threading elements stamped therein, there being an integral inwardly folded fiangeat one end of the cylindrical portion, and a) member extending beyond said'end of the cylindrical portion and bent over to form a supporting bracket.

2. A sheet metal lamp socket having a pair or semi-cylindrical s ieet metal portions threaded to accommodate and yieldingly grip a lamp base, and having inwardly directed flanges at one end of the semi-cylindricalportions and a support between said flanges.

3. sheet metal lamp socket having a pair of semi-cylindrical sheet metal portions threaded to accommodate and yieldingly grip a lamp base, and an L-shaped integral bracket Whose free end is outwardly bent, and having" inwardly directed flanges at one end of the semi-cylindrical portions.

4. A sheet. metal lamp socket and, supporting bracket formed from, blfanl'gsaid blank being T-sha'ped and" having a Wide head provided with obliquely disposed indentations which form guide threads for a lamp base when therh-ead is rolled into a cylindrical configuration, the remainder ofthe T being adapted to be bent to form a bracket.

5. In a combined: lamp socket and supporting bracket, an attaching plate having dependingtherefrom a supporting element which carries a socket integral therewith and formed by rolling material below the supporting element into the term of a'cylinder, said socket being split on the side opposite the supporting element, the upper edge of said socket being inwardlybent to form a flange, and a central contact insirla tively supported from the flange. I

Signed at Irvington, in the county of E sex and State of New Jersey, this 28th day of September, 1925.

LOUIS CARUSO'. 

